THE PROMISE

ARINOLA.

I must have blacked out last night, I certainly must have passed out, everything is hazy and blurry.

I don't remember much but I remember Osaze had been really angry and violent.

My throat felt sore from screaming and I winced as I moved my legs.

Osaze likes to take out his anger on me through sex, he'd hit me sometimes but it was nothing compared to this.

Speaking of the devil, he was curled up next to me.

His arm wrapped around my waist possessively, his dark eyes watching me.

"What's the time I need to..." I started when He cut me off "Sleep".

"I have things to do at home, I have to prepare for work" I mutter.

"Those things will wait, sleep," he said a frown on his face.

I didn't want to spike his anger so I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.

I couldn't sleep, my head was hurting.

Everywhere was hurting, his hold on me was suffocating me but I dared not complain.

I mentally counted along with the tick-tocks of the clock in the bedroom and waited for the sun rays to stream into the room.

I finally heard the faint voices of his neighbours conversing as I listened to the sound of Mr Kanayo's car.

He's usually the first person to leave the compound since he works far away at Apapa and tries to leave as early as possible.

So it must be four o clock or four-thirty in the morning, I mentally groaned.

How many more hours till I get out of here?

I laid still when Osaze got out of the bathroom, he was an early riser.

I was usually the one who woke up late, so I wonder why I woke up so early today.

Must be the blackout, or maybe my mind remembers my mummy's threat about coming to work late.

Speaking of my mother, she'll kill me today. I won't hear the last of it, I'm sure she must have called my phone and texted me several times already because she usually wakes up by four in the morning.

We had a lot of things to do at the shop today and I need to get there on time or else I'll face mummy's wrath. She'd warned me not to come late.

Osaze came into the bedroom minutes later, "I know you're awake Arin" he said nudging me.

I turned to face him and saw he was holding a tray. "Good morning" he smiles.

There's nothing good about this morning! I wanted to scream at him.
my body is screaming out to me that's it's in pain but I said nothing.

"Good morning" I managed to smile back.

He sat by the bed and I saw that the tray was holding a plate of rice and a glass of water.

There was also a packet of painkillers on the tray.

I guess he's going to fall into his romantic boyfriend role this morning, the Osaze I fell in love with.

"Come on, eat up. You look tired and you need to go to work" He said.

I took the tray from him and thanked him.

He watched me wolf down the food, I was really hungry since I didn't eat dinner yesterday.

When I was done he handed me some pills, I took them and thanked him again.

He kissed my cheek before taking the tray back to the kitchen.

When he left, I tried to make an effort to get up from the bed and go into the bathroom so I could start getting ready for work but I couldn't.

My muscles cramped and I winced, I guess I'll be limping throughout today.

I just hope mummy doesn't notice and start asking too many questions.

She knew about Osaze but she never approved of our relationship, despite all his attempts to win her over by buying her gifts and giving her money.

When he lost his job, she'd nagged me to end our relationship.

After a few months of nagging, I had to lie to her that I'd broken up with Osaze.

Hence the reason for my being secretive and lying about my whereabouts.

Osaze came back to the bedroom, in quick strides he came to me and picked me up like I weighed nothing.

"How about a shower?" he grinned.

"Osaze," I said In a warning tone, I hope he's not thinking about shower sex because I'm not in the mood for anything. I can barely walk and I don't have the energy for that.

"Relax, I just want us to shower" he frowned.

I rolled my eyes as he dropped me in the bathroom.

"You know I love you" he began.

"If you did, you wouldn't hurt me so much Osaze" I couldn't stop myself from replying.

I caught my appearance in the mirror and saw red marks on my neck and chest. Bite marks, his own way of laying claim on me.

He'd once told me that other guys would see the bruises and know that I am taken but what about my parents, How do I explain this to them?

He pressed me against the wall "Sweetheart I wouldn't hurt you if you didn't provoke me" his fingers were unlacing his sweatpants.

"I apologized, you didn't have to hurt me last night" I pushed.

His eyes hardened "You deserved what you got last night, I won't apologize for that. You know it" He said.

I swallowed the bile in my throat.

Of course, why would he? I'd bruised his ego last night. He's bruised my body, we were even.

He was dark and twisted, I think I'm twisted too. If I wasn't, why was I still with him, why was I in this toxic relationship?

Was it because he was my first love, my first everything? I don't know how to explain it, I don't even know why.

"Promise me you will stop accepting gifts from male friends and you will stop seeing other men" his hands were on my shoulders now.

I hesitated and he tightened his hold on me, his eyes darkening.

"I promise" I murmured, I'm surprised he didn't ask for a blood covenant instead.

He was too possessive, sometimes it's a good trait, days like this it's terrible.

He smiled and kissed me.

"I love you" he whispered against my lips. Did he really?

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